Method of conveying goods in containers along a tube line

ABSTRACT

A method in which inside a tube line containing liquid under a pressure approximating atmospheric pressure goods-carrying containers are positively displaced with the help of traction means associated with the containers, the liquid being, respectively, supplied into and withdrawn from the tube line at spaced locations along the tube line, to maintain within the tube line a desired level of this liquid along the entire length of the tube line.

United States Patent Chukhanov et a1.

[ METHOD OF CONVEYING GOODS IN CONTAINERS ALONG A TUBE LINE [76] Inventors: Zinovy Zinovievich Chukhanov,

ulitsa Obrucheva 6, korpus 6, kv. 352; Zinovy Fedorovich Chukhanov, ulitsa D. Ulyanova 3, kv. 40; Vladimir Illarionovich Panov, ulitsa Molostovykh l3, korpus 4, kv. 87; Anatoly Mikhailovich Nikolaev, ulitsa Stroitelei, 6, korpus 6, kv. 43; Sergei Andreevich Tsuprov, B. Vuzovsky pereulok, 1, kv. 36; Ivan Vasilievich Lyashenko, Lesnaya ulitsa, 45, kv. 89, all of Moscow, U.S.S.R.

Filed: Aug. 23, 1973 Appl. No.: 390,946

US. Cl. 104/147 R, 104/138 R, 104/165, 104/172 B Int. Cl B6lb 13/10 Field of Search 104/147 R, 154, 155, 156, 104/135, 138 R, 138 G, 165, 168,172 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 712,570 11/1902 Myers 104/172X Nov. 19, 1974 1,276,115 8/1918 Richardson 104/138 R X 1,992,891 2/1935 Schmidt 302/14 X 2,642,176 6/1953 De Burgh 104/172 B X 3,661,239 5/1972 Freeman 104/165 X 3,670,658 6/1972 Stelling 104/22 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 833,262 2/1970 Canada 104/155 1,201,744 8/1970 Great Britain 105/365 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King Assistant Examiner-Randolph A. Reese Attorney, Agent, or FirmWaters, Roditi, Schwartz & Nissen [57] ABSTRACT A method in which inside a tube line containing liquid under a pressure approximating atmospheric pressure goods-carrying containers are positively displaced with the help of traction means associated with the containers, the liquid being, respectively, supplied into and withdrawn from the tube line at spaced locations along the tube line, to maintain within the tube line a desired level of this liquid along the entire length of the tube line.

4.Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTL rm 1 91974 SHEET 3 BF 3 FIE. 7

METHOD OF CONVEYING GOODS IN CONTAINERS ALONG A TUBE LINE The present invention relates to methods of conveying goods inside containers along a tube line filled with liquid.

There are widely known methods of conveying goods placed into fluid-tight containers displaced within a tube by a flow of a liquid supplied under pressure.

According to these known methods, fluid-tight containers having a diameter approximating that of the tube are pre-loaded with goods, whereafter they are placed into this tube through which a liquid is directed under a pressure which in most cases is as high as several dozen atmospheres. The stream of the flowing liquid carries the containers therewith at a speed which is nearly the same as that of the stream itself, toward the unloading station.

A disadvantage of the above-specified known method is its relatively low effectiveness, since the containers within the tube have to withstand this pressure of several dozen atmospheres, and, therefore, they must have adequately thick and strong walls capable of withstanding this pressure. Consequently, the weight of the containers is considerable; in some cases the weight of the containers is as great as 30 percent of the weight of the goods carried thereinside. This great weight of the containers themselves results in an increased amount of useless load which is being conveyed through the tube, whereby the capacity of the conveying system is reduced, and the specific power requirements thereof, i.e., the amount of power required for conveying a unit of useful load, are increased.

According to the known methods, the containers have to be manufactured as valuable pieces of equipment, which should be by all means returned to the loading station for repeated use, whereby it becomes necessary either to establish a return tube or to provide other suitable means for returning the containers to the loading station, which, quite naturally, increases the capital investment and operational costs.

In operation of the known conveying systems, the tube is under an internal pressure which is as high as several dozen atmospheres, the same as the containers carried therealong, whereby the tube must be made of materials of increased strength, which also increases the necessary capital investment. Furthermore, the cost of conveying the containers along the known tube lines is additionally increased due to the necessity of providing sluice or lock chambers to effect transfer of the containers from one portion of the tube line into another, at places where pumping stations are arranged along the tube line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a conveying system which reduces the cost of conveying of goods.

It is another object of the present invention to reduce the initial cost of a conveying system.

It is still another object of the present invention to increase the capacity of a tube line conveying system.

With these and other objects in view, there is herein disclosed a method of conveying goods along a tube line, wherein containers pre-loaded with goods are placed into a tube line filled with a liquid, whereafter they are positively displaced along said tube line, in which method, in accordance with the present invention, said liquid is supplied into and withdrawn from said tube line at respective portions of said tube line lo-' cated at a desired spacing from one another along said tube line, in order to maintain a predetermined level of said liquid therein, said positive displacement of said containers within said tube line being effected by traction means cooperating with said containers.

It is expedient that the traction means be mounted directly on said containers.

In this case the traction means should include a power unit and propelling means, such as either water jet propelling means, or a linear electromagnetic motor, or other suitable propelling means.

Alternatively, it is expedient that the traction means should include a conveyor mounted within said tube line and having an endless traction element.

If the overall length of the tube line is relatively great,

' it is preferable for such conveyors to be mounted in succession along the entire extent of the tube line at a specified spacing, there being provided at points when a preceding conveyor adjoins the next successive one special devices for disengaging a container from this preceding traction means and engaging it with the successive traction means.

The employment of conveyors with endless traction elements as-said traction means for positive displacement of the containers through the tube line is preferable, since these traction means are the most simple and reliable in operation.

It is most expedient that the containers should be interconnected as a multi-container train; in this case it is advisable that, in order to minimize losses caused by resistance of the liquid, each container should have an outwardly flaringtail end portion adapted to receive therein the leading end of the successive container in the train, with a gap left therebetween.

With the containers connected into a train in the above manner, the hydraulic resistance to the motion of the train is reduced, and, consequently, the power requirements are also reduced, while the liquid filling the above-mentioned gap serves as a shock absorbing means taking up unevenness of the motion of individual containers in the train.

It is further advisable that the tube line should have locally narrowing portions spaced along the total extent thereof, which should reduce the total volume flow of the liquid through the tube line.

It is expedient that such narrowing portions should be located at points where a preceding traction element of the conveyor system adjoins the next successive traction element.

It is advisable that the internal wall of the tube line should have mounted thereon roller guide means uniformly spaced longitudinally of the tube line, the roller guides stabilizing the motion of the containers within the tube line.

The provision of the roller guides prevents contact between the containers and the internal wall of the tube line, which reduces the wear of both the tube line and the containers.

Alternatively, the roller guides may be mounted on the external walls of the containers themselves.

In the last-mentioned case the requirements as to the properness and the finish of the external geometric shape of the containers become less strict, and the eventuality of the wear of the containers is reduced.

It is no less advisable that emergency wells should be located at spaced points along the tube line, underlying this tube line, these wells communicating with the tube line to receive therein the goods in emergency cases when a container is broken in the tube line.

It is also advisable that the wells be associated with conveying means adapted to lift these goods from the underground locations of the wells to the ground level.

A method of conveying goods through a tube line in accordance with the present invention reduces the cost of conveying of the goods to less than one-half of that of methods of conveying containers through tube lines Among the major problems to be solved in conveying the containers 1 through a tube line 2 following the above-described course is to maintain within the tube line 2 a level of the liquid 3, the liquid in the presently filled with conveying liquid under a high pressure, due 4 to the fact that the presently disclosed method enables employing thin-walled tubes and containers made from relatively inexpensive materials, as well as to the fact that the conveying capacity of the tube line is increased, due to the reduced useless weight of the containers and to the reduced cost of returning these containers to a loading station.

Other objects and advantages ofa method of conveying goods through a tube line will become apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment of the invention, with reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows schematically a portion of the tube line, with containers received thereinside;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary course of the tube line;

FIG. 3 shows a locally narrowing portion of the tube line;

FIG. 4 illustrates engagement of a container with the traction element;

FIG. 5 is a view taken along arrow line A in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view taken along arrow line B in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 illustrates coupling of the containers into a tram;

FIG. 8 illustrates roller guides mounted on the internal surface of the container;

FIG. 9 illustrates roller guides mounted on the internal wall of the tube line; and

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along line X X in FIG. 1.

The herein disclosed method resides in that containers 1 (FIG. 1) pre-loaded with goods to be conveyed are placed into a tube line 2 that is filled with a liquid 3, e.g., water, oil, etc., the liquid preferably filling the tube line only partly, whereafter the containers are positively displaced through this tube line by traction means 4 cooperating with these containers.

As it has been already stated, the liquid 3 fills the tube line 2 only partly, to a predetermined level 5, the liquid within the tube line being under a pressure substantially equal to the atmospheric pressure; therefore, the liquid 3 acts solely as a medium supporting the containers l in a buoyant state and facilitating the motion of the containers 1 through the tube line.

The tube line 2 is a thoroughfare located underground, within a ground layer 6 that does not freeze in wintertime, and, as illustrated in FIG. 2, it has horizontal portions 7, as well as inclined ascending portions 8 and descending portions 9.

It is advisable that the course of a tube line 2 should follow that of railways and their power supply lines, in which case the course of the tube line 2 utilizes the same slopes as the railway does.

described embodiment being water. To attain this, along the entire course of the tube line 2, at portions 7, 8 and 9 thereof the liquid is, respectively, supplied into and withdrawn from the tube line 2 at spaced points a, b, c, d, e,f, g, i.e., at points where one portion of the profile of the course of the tube line 2 adjoins the adjacent portion. In the presently described embodiment, water is supplied into the tube line 2 at points b, c and d and is withdrawn from the tube line 2 at points a, e,f, g. The amount of water to be either supplied into or withdrawn from the tubeline at a specified point depends on the inclination of the respective portion of the tube line, on the capacity of this portion of the tube line, on the hydraulic resistance within this portion and on the speed of positive displacement of the containers 1.

Positive control of the supply and withdrawal of water is necessary along the entire course of the tube line. At horizontal portions 7 of the course of the tube line 2 water is to be supplied thereinto, since the moving containers 1 entrain the water 3 which latter is driven the faster, the greater is the speed of the moving containers 1. Thus, the displacement of the containers 1 through the tube line results in pumping of a certain amount of water in the direction of the motion of these containers 1; therefore, in order to maintain a predetermined level 5 of the water 3 within the tube line 2, it becomes necessary to supply water into the tube line 2 in an amount equal to that pumped by the moving containers 1.

As the containers 1 are moved along a climb portion 8 of the course of the tube line 2, the water within the climb portion is acted upon by two forces; the gravitational force that opposes the abovedescribed pumping of the water and the friction force with which the moving containers entrain the water 3 therewith, thus pumping this water upwardly along the climb portion 8. Depending on the inclination angle of the climb portion 8, the amount of water to be supplied into the tube line 2 would vary, and at a certain critical climb angle the flow rate of the water through the climb portion 8 of the course of the tube line 2 equals zero.

Should the climb angle be greater than this critical value, it becomes necessary to supply water into the tube line 2 in a direction opposite to that of the motion of the containers 1 therethrough, in order to maintain a desired level 5 of the water 3 within this climb portion of the tube line 2.

At a decline portion 9 of the course of the tube line 2, i.e., at a portion where the containers 1 move downwardly, the water flows in the direction of the motion of the containers, but the rate of this flow depends on the speed of the motion of the containers 1, as well as on the inclination angle and the presence of locally narrowing portions within the tube line.

To reduce the volume flow of the liquid 3 and also to reduce the power required for effecting the motion of the containers 1, the tube line 2 at specified locations is provided with locally narrowing portions 10 of which one is illustrated in FIG. 3. These locally narrowing portions 10 are in the form of nozzles having the passage area 11 which is smaller than that of the rest of the tube line 2. These nozzles 11 may be either rigid or elastic; the passage area 11 of such a nozzle may be adjustable.

The tube line 2 can be made of thin steel sheets, asbestos cement, reinforced concrete or other relatively inexpensive materials. The cross-sectional shape of the tube line 2 may be circular, rectangular or any other suitable shape.

Positive displacement of the containers 1 through the tube line 2 is effected by means of a traction means 4 cooperating with the containers.

The traction means 4 may be in the formof propelling means associated with prime movers carried directly by the containers themselves. In such cases the propelling means may include either propeller screws or water jet propelling means. It is also possible to employ linear electromagnetic propelling means for the purpose.

However, it is most expedient that the traction means 4 (FIG. I) should include a conveyor 12 (FIG. I) having an endless traction element 13. This endless traction element 13 may be either a rope, a chain, or a belt. To couple the endless traction element 13 with a container 1, the latter is provided with an elastic coupling into the slit 15 of the elastic coupling lock 14 which latter firmly grips the working or forward run 18 of the rope therein, in which manner the traction effort is transmitted by friction to the container 1. The rope 13 may be provided with spaced knot-like enlarged portions 19 which increase the reliability of the coupling of the rope 13 with the lock 14.

The elastic coupling locks 14 are mounted on the lower part of rings 20 (FIG. 7) bracing the containers 1.

To increase the reliability of the performance of the traction means 4 and to improve the stability of the moving containers 1, it is possible to employ a conveyor 12 having several endless traction elements 13, as is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8. In this case the bracing rings 20 have mounted thereon respective coupling locks 14 for cooperation with two or three endless trac tion elements 13, e.g., ropes. The ropes run parallel to one another and keep theconveyor 12 in operating order even if one of the ropes breaks. It can be seen in FIG. 8 that the return or idle runs 21 of the respective ropes 13 are positioned below the working or forward runs 18 of these ropes.

The conveyors 12 with endless traction elements 13 (FIG. 1) are provided along the entire course of the tube line 2 successively, running at spaced locations along specified lengths of the tube line 2. Depending on the profile of the course of the tube line, these lengths may vary from 0.3 3.0 km to 10 50 km. At points where a preceding endless traction element 13 adjoins a successive one, there are provided devices 22 (FIG. I) for disconnecting the container 1 from the preceding traction element 13 and coupling it to the successive traction element.

When the traction element 13 is in the form of a rope, the device 22 includes a plurality of sheaves 22 arranged so that the traction elements 13, i.e., the ropes should be deflected from their horizontal motion. Thus, the rope 13 is positively lowered and in this way is made to leave the coupling lock 14. As the container i 1 moves further on, the coupling lock 14 with its catcher 17 (FIGS. 4, 5, 6) is brought into the area of the successive conveyor 12 with its endless traction element 13, and the latter, rising after having passed the respective sheave of the device 22, enters this elastic coupling lock 14 and is gripped thereby. Now it is the successive conveyor 12 which drives the container 1. To reduce the losses caused by the hydraulic resistance of the liquid 3 and to increase the conveying capacity of the tube line 2, it is expedient that the containers 1 should be interconnected or intercoupled into a train. This is attained by each container being provided with a flaring tail end portion 23 (FIG. 7) adapted to receive therein the leading end of the next successive container 1, with a gap left between their respective side surfaces (the couplings are not shown in the drawing). The liquid filling this gap between the two containers acts as a shock absorbing means opposing sharp contraction and expansion of the train made up by the coupled containers.

To minimize the wear of the internal wall of the tube line 2, as well as the wear of the containers 1, there are provided roller guides 24 (FIG. 9) stabilizing the motion of the containers 1 through the tube line 2. These roller guides, as is shown in FIG. 9, are mounted along the entire extent of the tube line 2 on the internal wall thereof at spaced locations, the spacing between the adjacent roller guides longitudinally of the tube line not exceeding the length of a'single container. The roller guides 24 mounted on the internal wall of the tube line 2 prevent rubbing wear of the tube line 2 and also protect the containers 1 against direct contact with the internal wall of the tube line. Furthermore, the provision of the roller guides minimizes friction losses, in addition to minimizing the wear of the internal wall of the tube line 2 and of the containers 1. Quite naturally, when the roller guides 24 are mounted on the internal wall of the tube line 2, the geometric shape of the containers l and their external surface finish should meet corresponding relatively strict requirements.

There is an alternative way of arranging roller guides 24 (FIGS. 7 and 8). In this case the roller guides 24 are mounted on the bracing rings 20 of the containers 1. With this arrangement of the roller guides 24, the requirements as to the properness of the geometric shape of the containers 1 and their external surface finish are considerably less severe.

It is advisable that wells 26 (FIG. 10) should be provided at spaced locations along the entire course of the tube line 2, to receive therein the goods in emergency cases, when a container 1 is broken within the tube line 2. The emergency wells 26 should underlie the tube line 2 and should communicate therewith; they should be associated with suitable conveying means 27, e.g., a belt conveyor, a scraper conveyor, etc., leading from the respective well to the ground level.

The containers 1 may be designed either for repeated use or for single use, i.e., expendable. Empty containers are, respectively, either transported from the unloading station of the tube line to the leading station in any suitable manner, or else they are broken and scrapped.

What we claim is:

1. A method of conveying cargo in containers comprising forming a pipeline filled with a liquid to a given level, coupling a plurality of loaded containers floating freely in the liquid for movement in trains from an inlet to an outlet of said pipeline, advancing said train in the pipeline by means of a plurality of conveyors arranged along the length of the pipeline and provided with traction members adapted to transfer said containers, from one traction member to the next, and maintaining said given liquid level constant along the entire length of the pipeline by draining and introducing liquid at respective points located at predetermined distances from one another along said pipeline where said given level is expected to rise or drop.

2. A method of conveying cargo as claimed in claim 1, wherein said containers are coupled to form the train by a coupling means inserted between each pair of containers to be coupled, and a cylindrical flare located in the tail portion of a leading container, the front end of a trailing container being inserted into said flare with radial clearance, the space defined by the inner wall of said flare and the end face walls of the coupled containers being filled with the liquid which clamps accidental and dynamic longitudinal forces acting upon the container train.

3. A method of conveying cargo as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pipeline is formed at spaced locations with narrowing portions to reduce the flow rate of the liquid, said container trains passing through said portions with a minimum radial clearance.

4. A method of conveying cargo as claimed in claim 1, wherein wells are formed at spaced locations under said pipeline along the entire length thereof, said wells communicating with the pipeline to receive cargo in the event of breakage of said containers. 

1. A method of conveying cargo in containers comprising forming a pipeline filled with a liquid to a given level, coupling a plurality of loaded containers floating freely in the liquid for movement in trains from an inlet to an outlet of said pipeline, advancing said train in the pipeline by means of a plurality of conveyors arranged along the length of the pipeline and provided with traction members adapted to transfer said containers, from one traction member to the next, and maintaining said given liquid level constant along the entire length of the pipeline by draining and introducing liquid at respective points located at predetermined distances from one another along said pipeline where said given level is expected to rise or drop.
 2. A method of conveying cargo as claimed in claim 1, wherein said containers are coupled to form the train by a coupling means inserted between each pair of containers to be coupled, and a cylindrical flare located in the tail portion of a leading container, the front end of a trailing container being inserted into said flare with radial clearance, the space defined by the inner wall of said flare and the end face walls of the coupled containers being filled with the liquid which damps accidental and dynamic longitudinal forces acting upon the container train.
 3. A method of conveying cargo as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pipeline is formed at spaced locations with narrowing portions to reduce the flow rate of the liquid, said container trains passing through said portions with a minimum radial clearance.
 4. A method of conveying cargo as claimed in claim 1, wherein wells are formed at spaced locations under said pipeline along the entire length thereof, said wells communicating with the pipeline to receive cargo in the event of breakage of said containers. 